Pummel
by Reality Rejection Service
Summary: Oneshot. Companion piece to Spectre. READ THAT FIRST. Rated T for violence.


**A/N: I do not own _Star Wars_ or _Avatar: The Last Airbender_. This is a companion piece to _Spectre_ , so READ THAT FIRST. Enjoy!**

* * *

 **Pummel**

Anakin Skywalker hated two things: (1) being a slave. (2) Seeing people enslave others.

His wife's snoring? He didn't mind- he'd experienced worse things.

Armies of droids marching across planets terrorizing people? All he needed were his mentor, his Padawan, his comrade Rex, and a couple Star Destroyers full of clones (with complimentary vehicles), and voila! Problem solved.

Slavery (and the act of enslavement)? _FORCE NO_. It took a special kind of scum to willingly force people to work under you.

The only reason why Anakin hadn't just jetted off to the Outer Rim and personally _burned the slave trades to the ground_ was because he was always on someone else's leash. He had been a slave himself, even when others had told him he was _free_.

Strangely, Anakin had found _true_ freedom in death, waking up on some unknown planet where there were no Jedi, but yet almost one of every two people he met were manipulating some element of nature- the water, the ground, fire itself- and using it to accomplish wonders.

It was an utterly _fascinating_ place- if he ignored the war. Anakin had been a bit of a nomad, going from place to place and helping however he could. There wasn't anyone around to tell him what to do, which was nice for a change.

There were quite a few people running from the war, though, headed to a place called Ba Sing Se, which was rumored to have some pretty big walls.

Anakin had decided to make his own way there, so he had roamed the countryside along one of the main routes to the city, quickly disposing of any so-called Fire Nation units. He had… dispatched them quickly, thanks to his restored physicality and the mysterious appearance of his old lightsaber.

Tales quickly spread of a spectre carrying a sword of blazing blue fire terrorizing the Fire Nation troops, and a reward of a million gold pieces was placed on the Spectre's head.

Anakin had laughed when he saw the wanted poster, and had almost turned himself in just to see what would happen.

But that was then. This is now.

* * *

Anakin had been trudging through the forest, hot on the trail of the personal guard of one of the Fire Nation's most elite weapons- the Princess Azula, and her companions Mai and Ty Lee. One was proficient in the art of throwing sharp, pointy things at people. The other was especially skilled at causing temporary paralysis with little more than a pinch, a tap, or a punch in just the right place.

Anakin suspected that he was close.

And lo and behold, he caught up with them one night, as the targets made camp in a forest. Anakin had snuck into the camp with every intention of stopping these three once and for all.

He managed to spot Azula first, heading for a tent that lay near the outside of the camp, where two soldiers were obviously on guard.

 _Well, kriff,_ Anakin thought. _She's a child._

 _Not that it stopped you before,_ an annoying little voice said from the back of his head.

 _Hmph._

So, Anakin followed Azula- and he picked up on the _massive feeling of hopelessness_ coming from within the tent.

It reminded him all too much of his mother, so Anakin, not wanting to make the same mistake, snuck out as quickly as he came, vowing to return the next night.

The next night, Anakin had steeled his resolve. He had decided that indeed, he would _not_ make the same mistake he made rescuing his mother. His mistake then was that he had not acted quickly enough, so this time, he _would_ act. He knew all too well the kind of monster this Azula was-he had encountered far too many of them in his time.

So, Anakin snuck back in, finding the tent first, then moving towards the center. After all, Azula would want to be in the middle of the camp, to drive home the point that everything revolved around her. Anakin made a note to go back if he had the opportunity.

Anakin made sure that he was spotted at just the right moment and place: near the prisoner's tent, just as Azula was about to enter, and just after dismissing the guards. He could see the little demon herself taunting whomever was inside, so Anakin made a slight use of the Force to rush up, grab the little twerp by her hair, and throw her bodily into the tent behind them.

She'd been saying something about doing homework, so Anakin came up with a lame taunt on purpose.

"I do believe," Anakin said, his voice dropping to a deadly octave, "that class is canceled on account of the weather."

" _What_ weather?" Azula spat, getting back up, blue flames beginning to dance.

Anakin smirked. "A storm," he said, nonchalantly.

Azula looked genuinely confused. "A storm?"

Anakin _smiled_ now. "Yes. _I am the storm_."

And that was when all hell broke loose.

* * *

Anakin blitzed Azula again, sending her skidding away just as Mai, Ty Lee, and several soldiers came pouring in from all directions, spewing fire and sharp objects.

Anakin ducked low enough to lick the dirt if he wanted, before using the Force to shove most everyone away.

Then, Anakin pulled out his lightsaber. _Snap-hiss._ A couple soldiers ran away now. They were the smart ones.

The acrobat came close, but Anakin stepped to the left, using his saber to deflect three sharp objects, and using his fist (the one that should have been a mechanical arm, but ah well) to catch the acrobat right in the gut, sending her flying straight up with an _oomph!_

Anakin had no time to watch, as he was busy deflecting several fire blasts using either the Force or his saber. He managed to shove a soldier away and choke out another one before kicking out, catching the falling acrobat somewhere on her back, the odd angle changing the poor kid's trajectory from _straight down_ to _sideways._

The girl screamed. Anakin quickly dispatched another soldier, before blitzing once more towards Azula, his saber coming up and slicing off someone's arm. He had no time to process the scream before he wrapped his hand around Azula's throat.

" _YOU,_ " Anakin snarled. "You… instill _fear_ in the hearts of people. You make sure that they know who you are. You live for it. You _thrive_ on it. You _control_ people with it."

Anakin could clearly see and feel the raw energy flowing in Azula's veins- and the areas where it could be stopped. It felt oh so similar to how the Force flowed through him.

"But what happens when you meet people who _don't_ fear you? Who _don't know_ you? What happens then?"

Azula was, for the first time in her life, well and truly _afraid_. "P-please…"

Anakin continued. "What happens when your power is taken _away_?"

"N-noooo….. p-please…."

"Tell that to your _victims_."

Anakin quickly stopped the flow of energy within Azula. It was incredibly easy, like shutting the doors on a house. Azula went slack in his grip, and Anakin let her drop to the ground. He checked to be sure she wasn't dead, and was satisfied to learn she was unconscious.

 _Good_. _She'll live. Maybe she'll learn something._

Anakin slid into Azula's tent, to see if there was anything of value. There was some lovely jewelry, as well as a few bags with gold, silver, and copper coins. Anakin took one bag of each to give to someone who well and truly needed it.

There was also a green uniform, which Anakin thought looked familiar. _Hmmm… wait a second... Kyoshi Warriors, perhaps? Looks about right_. Anakin grabbed that, too. He had a feeling that he knew who it belonged to.

As he made to leave, he found a mirror, and, as pretty much everyone who sees a mirror is wont to do, looked into it.

His eyes were still bright blue. _I did this. Good_.

Anakin trudged back to the prisoner's tent, passing where Azula lay, still out of it. A little further up was Mai, who also was out cold, her right arm being severed at the elbow. In the missing appendage were three sharp knives. Anakin grabbed those too, before proceeding to the tent, his hood up.

"I found this. I believe it is yours."

Minutes later, Anakin and the former prisoner (who went by Suki) made their escape. When Suki asked who he was, he simply replied:

"Call me… Skywalker."


End file.
